Please note: we have been online over ten years, and we want The Trek BBS to continue as a free site. But if you block our ads we are at risk.Please consider unblocking ads for this site - every ad you view counts and helps us pay for the bandwidth that you are using. Thank you for your understanding.

Welcome! The Trek BBS is the number one place to chat about Star Trek with like-minded fans. Please login to see our full range of forums as well as the ability to send and receive private messages, track your favourite topics and of course join in the discussions.

If you are a new visitor, join us for free. If you are an existing member please login below. Note: for members who joined under our old messageboard system, please login with your display name not your login name.

Moderators; if this is the wrong sub-forum, please feel free to move this topic.

Hiya, folks.

Some of you are already familar with my finished story Star Trek: Republic (Book I: Wounded Warriors) and the second (incomplete) work (Book II: Ties of Blood). I will be resuming that second one shortly. Here are the links to both works on this site.

In the meantime, I am looking ahead and we will shortly be in need of a new ship to replace the Korolev-class (readers will already know she has suffered mightly).

I am going to be introducing a new ship. And I'd like your thoughts on the design. Yes, I know that folks frown upon homebrew ships, but I still want your thoughts.

Unlike the earlier Republic (NCC-51497) of my story, this new ship will be a brand-new modern design. Now, I didn't want to use a Sovereign-class (a little bit TOO much in my opinion), but the alternatives were few and far between. The Intrepid-class is just too small (and her warp nacelles look absurb), and the Luna-class is kind of meh. Not to mention undergunned for something that is supposed to be as large as an Excelsior.

All the other modern ships (in the time of my story) are even smaller and, frankly, weirder looking. So, I turned again to the internet. I found a promising design by Simon Toyall over on http://www.shipschematics.net/index.php Starship Schematics Database that I liked. This is his base design, but I have modified the design, adding the port/starboard phaser strips, the dorsal engineering hull phaser strip, and the belly strips, as well as 'dropping' the saucer two decks to give the nacelles clearance forward (as Gene's rules say the nacelles must be visible from forward). And eliminated the wasp-waist of the original. Here is the original design: http://www.shipschematics.net/startr...er_victory.jpg so you can see what modifications I have made.

I am not using this drawing for profit, but only to represent the ship in my story (which is free). And I credit Mister Toyall fully with the original design.

This new (modified) ship (http://s1111.photobucket.com/albums/...SRepublic2.png) shown on my photobucket page is designated the Yorktown-class and it was what I wanted. I have decided that she is the second Yorktown-class Cruiser that has entered service with Starfleet, with overall dimensions of 474 meters in length, with a beam of around 180 meters, and a total height of 78 meters with 15 habitable decks. Brand new design debuting in 2376.

But that is all I have on her. I need to determine her Warp Speed (cruise, flank, and maximum) without wanking her out in the process. Same with her armament: I know that she carries six phaser strip arrays (saucer ventral and dorsal), engineering hull (dorsal/stern, belly, port, and starboard) and three torpedo launchers (two forward and one aft). As she debuts in 2376, her launchers are quantum capable and I was planning on a total magazine payload of 210 torpedoes and/or probes (70 per launcher; typically with 40 photon torpedoes, 10 quantum, and 20 probes each). As her shuttle bay is astern (traditional location that I like), I figure she probably carries about 8 shuttles around the size of a Type 6, plus four smaller shuttle-pods, and one larger shuttle (like the one from Nemesis). Plus an aero-shuttle (i.e., runabout) in a ventral dock beneath the saucer that serves as the Captain's Gig (I refuse to call it a yacht!).

Okay, having said all of that, what do you think the Yorktown-class Cruiser USS Republic (NCC-81371) should be? How fast should she be, how powerful her phasers, the size of her crew, number of passengers, maximum evacuation capacity, shuttlecraft carried, . . . or if I have just got the wrong idea completely here? And yes, I selected that NCC number to pay homage to the original series, which had Republic with NCC-1371.
Anyway, any advice or suggestions that you are willing to offer will be accepted gratefully. Thanks in advance.

Notes: The Yorktown-class project was instituted in 2368 as Starfleet began to consider the future need of replacing the existing Excelsior- and Korolev-class cruisers in service. Although design planning had begun in 2368, actual construction did not start until 2370. The chaos of the Dominion War forced Starfleet into reducing the priority of these new ships, slowing construction as resources were devoted instead to existing designs and repairing battle-damaged hulls. Even today, in the aftermath of that War, many on the Federation Council question this design, citing it as too ‘militaristic’ in nature. The leading four units have either entered service or will do so within the next six months, but the remaining eight of the original batch laid down have all had their construction suspended. Designed from the start as rugged and reliable vessels, every piece of equipment on the Yorktowns had been tested in the field by another class of starship and proven effective. Although it is shocking in this day and age, no new technological systems were introduced on this class.

Although slightly larger (and with much greater internal volume) than an Excelsior, the Yorktowns featured a core crew of just 400 officers and men, versus the 650 required aboard the older cruiser. That number included 50 Starfleet Marines, who replace the normal Security Department aboard the Yorktown-class vessels and provide a highly-trained ground force, a need which the Dominion War illuminated. Despite this reduction in crew size, Yorktown proved on her space trials to be a most promising vessel. Her sensor system rivaled that of the Intrepid-class Light Explorer in range and resolution, the deflector shield generators and grid provided protection equal to late-model Galaxy- and Nebula-class starships: while the new ‘regenerative’ shield generators of the Sovereign-class were considered, the design team instead decided to employ only tried and tested equipment. Contrary to pre-War doctrine, the Yorktown-class vessels incorporated ablative armor plating as part of their core design; furthermore, all viewports and bays on the vessel’s outer hull have been fitted with armored hatches which can be closed during battle to eliminate those weak points in ship’s structure.

The LF-43 Mod Two warp engines are proven units that were first fitted to the Akira-class cruiser, but advances in technology and a more powerful warp core has increased their performance dramatically. With these reliable and rugged engines, the Yorktown-class cruisers have performed above and beyond the expectations of Starfleet engineers. Standard cruise speed is a hefty Warp 7 which is also the most fuel-efficient faster-than-light speed. Maximum cruise speed was rated at an incredible Warp 9; although cruising at this velocity consumes far more fuel and decreases the life-expectancy of the warp coils the Yorktowns can maintain this velocity indefinitely. Standard flank speed once again surpassed expectations with a rating of Warp 9.7; this speed can be maintained for a minimum of one hundred and twenty hours before warp core heating forces a speed reduction. Speed trials showed that under maximum power (125% of rated warp-core capacity), the Yorktown was able to achieve a velocity of Warp 9.877 and maintain that speed for as long as ninety minutes.

One major change in Starfleet doctrine is the inclusion of a secondary warp core. Not parts to rebuild the primary core, but a complete secondary (albeit, less powerful) core. The secondary core is housed just forward of the junction of the nacelle pylons and the engineering hull and is normally kept off-line. Should the primary core become damaged or if the crew is forced to eject the primary core, the secondary core can be powered up and brought on-line within minutes. Cruise speed for the secondary core is only Warp 6, with flank speed of Warp 8, and maximum FTL velocity of Warp 9.2. The two cores cannot be active at the same time, however.

Sublight maneuvering is provided by a single FIG-5 impulse engine; whereas most Starfleet vessels carry two impulse engines, there was a concern that the warp nacelles might be damaged by the exhaust wash from a more traditional impulse arrangement. The same engine mounted on the Sovereign-class Heavy Explorer, the FIG-5 provides ample power for the Yorktowns with a maximum relativistic velocity of 0.95c. Standard full impulse power is normally limited to 0.25c to avoid the effects of time dilation. Critics of the design argued that maneuverability would suffer with only a single engine, but the installation of additional RCS thrusters has belied that concern.

Offensive weaponry was considered on par or slightly superior to early model Galaxy-class starships. The Type X-b collimated phaser arrays (the upgraded model used on Galaxy-class refits during the Dominion War) contain the same number of individual emitters as the larger ships, but on the Yorktown are divided among six separate strips, giving superior all-aspect coverage in comparison to the older design. Rather than the original Mk 80 torpedo launchers of the Galaxy-class Explorers, the Yorktowns instead are fitted with three rapid-fire Mk 95 launchers (the launchers carried on the Sovereign-class Explorers). The Mk 95s are capable of launching probes, photon torpedoes, and quantum torpedoes; furthermore each launcher is equipped with a five-tube cylindrical rotating automatic loader that can launch up to one torpedo every half-second; however, once this ready magazine is exhausted the ship requires almost a minute to reload from the magazines. With two Mk 95s mounted forward, a Yorktown can fire ten torpedoes (photon or quantum) in under 2.25 seconds, although it will then take fifty-four seconds to reset the cylinder loading system for another salvo. This reloading system differs from the Galaxy-class in that the Yorktowns are not capable of simultaneously launching five torpedoes from each launcher, and overall magazine capacity is lower (150 torpedoes and 60 probes vs. 250 torpedoes and 150 probes for the Galaxy-class).

Two tractor beam projectors with a rated capacity of 4.5 million tons are fitted to the design as well: one forward and one aft, both of which mounted on the ventral surface of the vessel's engineering hull. The Yorktowns are capable of extending their warp field around and towing (via tractor) a Galaxy-class or smaller ship at velocities of up to Warp 7, although doing so stresses the engines and can be maintained for only ninety-six hours.

Two computer cores are fitted to the design, one in the saucer and the second in the engineering hull. In a move that shocked many engineers, the Yorktowns forgo the use of bio-neural gel-packs, instead relying upon older isolinear optical chips for its sub-processor systems. Originally designed to incorporate the bio-neural gel-packs, the design team (upon reviewing classified reports from USS Voyager in the Delta Quadrant) decided to forgo the new technology until it has fully matured. Many officers within Starfleet questioned the decision to install just two computer cores instead of the traditional three, but doing so saved internal volume, while still maintaining an acceptable amount of redundancy in the event of a core failure.

In another surprising move, the Yorktown design team eliminated all separation systems from this class of Cruiser. Citing the rarity of such systems being used, the engineers instead devoted the volume and mass of these systems (and the additional impulse and warp drives) to other matters. Although capable of operating within an atmosphere, the Yorktowns are unable to safely land on a planetary surface. Fifty escape pods give the Yorktowns the capacity to evacuate all members of the core crew during an emergency; this does not include any passengers, however. The vessels various shuttlecraft do provide ample space for normal (non-evacuation) passenger capacity.

Ten shuttlecraft and shuttlepods are carried in the main shuttle bay astern: four Type 6 shuttlecraft, two Type 9A cargo shuttlecraft, and four Type 18 shuttlepods. While not standard on the Yorktowns, up to two of Starfleet’s larger shuttlecraft (such as the Type 11 or the Argo-class) can be accommodated, with each taking up the space of one Type 9A cargo shuttle and one Type 18 shuttlepod. In addition to the listed shuttles, an Aeroshuttle-class Runabout is carried in a ventral docking station beneath the saucer. This vessel serves as the Captain’s Gig and provides the Yorktown-class Cruisers with a long-ranged subordinate vessel.

Although well armed, the Yorktowns are also equipped to serve as exploration and research vessels. Not quite as capable in that regard as the Nova-, Intrepid-, Luna-, or Sovereign-class vessels, the science and research facilities aboard the Yorktowns are far more spacious and modern than the ones aboard existing Akira-, Excelsior-, and Korolev-class vessels. Combined with their excellent sensor arrays, this capacity to serve as exploration vessels has only increased the potential value of these new cruisers to Starfleet. There are dedicated facilities onboard for Biological Sciences, Computer Sciences, Planetary Sciences, Physics, Social Sciences, and Space Sciences, in addition to four non-dedicated research laboratories. The Medical Department includes beds for up to thirty patients, two surgical suites, and two medical research labs, in addition to a medical replication pharmacy and a quarantine bay. Eighty EVA/Hazardous Environmental Suits are stored in lockers located next to the six airlocks (ten each) and adjacent to the shuttlecraft bay (twenty total).

Four personnel and two cargo transporters are provided, along with two emergency transporters. Cargo space aboard the Yorktowns exceeds that of the Excelsior-class design by 40%, and includes an integral industrial replicator. In addition to a holographic firing range for small arms training, the Yorktowns are outfitted with two Holodecks, along with four gymnasiums, two natatoriums, and a forward observation lounge, plus an arboretum. An Emergency Medical Hologram comes standard, with holo-projectors located throughout the ship in vital areas. Accommodations for the crew are slightly smaller than Starfleet standard (officer accommodations are quite a bit less spacious than Starfleet standard), but are amply furnished with each member of the core crew (and all passengers) given a private compartment that includes a small living/dining space, a food replicator, a desk with a computer workstation terminal, a sleeping area, and a lavatory/washroom.

One intriguing part of the Yorktown design is that the Security and Tactical departments have been separated; indeed, the Security department has been eliminated aboard these ships. Instead, every Yorktown is provided with a detachment of Starfleet Marines (50 officers and men) that handles internal ship security, boarding actions, and away missions. Organized in an overstrength platoon of five 9-man squads, plus a command team of one officer and four Marines, this detachment is sufficient for all but the most challenging of events. The central armory includes sixty Type III Phaser Rifles, two hundred and fifty Type II Phaser Pistols, and two hundred Type I Hand Phasers; plus four Photon Mortars and two hundred grenades. This aspect of the design is one which certain members of the Federation Council vehemently object to, and is one of the main reasons behind the current suspension in construction for the eight incomplete Yorktowns.

Outfitted with fuel and supplies for a voyage of up to five years duration, the Yorktowns are designed to go twenty years between major overhauls/refits, with a projected service life of at least one century as designed.

In the story, Star Fleet most assuredly does have Marines. That has always bothered me about Trek; with the exception of Enterprise (and the MAKOs, however you spell it), it was like the Federation ignored the concept of ground forces. And that was pre-Federation.

I have to agree, I find the idea of marines in Starfleet a bit OTT. It has been established that there are groundtroops, we've seen them in DS9. But we've never seen them assigned to any ship as part of the standard crew compliment. Somehow, it just doesnt fit for me. And, as said, it's been established that the security force on a starship fills the role that marines would in this day and age.

Okay, then. We've established that ya'll don't like Marines in Star Trek. Nonetheless, they exist for the story which this ship will be part of; and based on that story they are handling Security duties on the ship in that story. I'm sorry if that breaks away with your sense of disbelief for the universe at large.